Jellyrug, its easier to get a license service company to assist you with this rather than doing it yourself. You did pick a tricky state to open up shop, but that's what I call competitive advantage. If you call your Alcohol Beverage Control agency up, they can probably recommend the right chap for the job. It will cost you 1-2K.

I had the same thought as IK. Robin is probably quite familiar with existing wineshops in his area and maybe elsewhere in the state. As far as how long to break even and turn a profit, be prepared in case it takes a long, long time. Don't put yourself in the position of having to close down for lack of capital to keep the operation going.

Rent is varialble to your location. Should never pay more than $1.5-2.0 per sq ft. Inventory will run you $75,000 on the low, and $250 if your store is small. Higher sq ft means more inventory. Shelving you can pick up industrial pretty cheaply. Starting capital for a small wine store would be $200-250 for inventory and finishout. Licensing will run you $2500-5000. You'll need operating capital of atleast 6 months. Again, all of this depends on your specific location and govt. regulations. I would certainly have a small biz association do a feasiblity study. Likewise any business school can give you a couple grads to assist you with this.